The answer was no for a very long time. But all that was about to change…

To be honest, I’ve never actually given a yoga lesson. I give online tips and trick on fitness. My lessons are virtual. Never conducted a class with actual people in front of me.

I am good at giving advice but was I good enough to be a teacher ?

When Anupriya from the blog Mom on the Run [http://momontherun.in/] asked to collaborate on a yoga/runner shoot; where I show her some stretches to open out the shoulders and work the back. I was honestly scared.

Not because I am not confident about my yoga skills. I practise 2 hours a day, I challenge myself every week with tougher poses. I’ve been giving my blood, sweat and soul to nail a headstand. I know my skills and capabilities but teaching another person is a different ball game all together. First and foremost you are taking responsibility of someone else’s well being. Their safety is in your hands because if not done properly yoga can cause injury. Second of all they are trusting you to help them live a better lifestyle. And thats a lot of pressure. I wasn’t sure whether I was ready for that responsibility. I’ve never had a pet, I don’t have any children, my parents are fit enough to take care of themselves. I have never had to take responsibility of another human being.

Now What ?

I want to take up Yoga Professionally. I’ve had professions in the past that I have detested. Yoga is the only that gives me joy. I know it sound morbid, but its the truth. So I convinced myself, that if not now, then never. Summed up some confidence and went in with all guns blazing for the shoot. Chariot of fire playing in my head. Its a take away from my Olympic days. More on that some other day.

Saturday was the day I was going to conquer all my fears. If I turned out to be a bad teacher, I would scrap the idea of being a fitness Blogger and go back to my previous profession ( hated it ). I believe in doing everything the right way and giving a 100%. And god forbid I can’t. I quit. I know its a very escapist attitude, but I’ve been this way for a very long time so it is what it is.

Saturday, 4th June 2016 was a very hot day. It was 40 degrees at 6 am. I couldn’t sleep the night before. Excitement, fear , nervousness got the best of me. I got precisely 2 hours of sleep. Got up before the alarm rang. Thought of calling Anurpiya and telling her to can the shoot. Ya I am that person, I suffer from major anxiety and my go-to plan is to always run away.

But not this time. There was no going back for me…

Got ready. Got delayed. Reached the location half an hour later than the call time. I am not a morning person. I move at a snails pace in the wee hours of the day.

It was hot, we were sweating bullets. The first 10 minutes of meet and greet melted us. It was time to get the ball rolling. The stage had been set, the players were ready. It was time to take the show on the road.

I don’t know if Anupriya noticed or not, but I fumbled a couple of times in the beginning. The names of the poses for starters. For a minute I forget what to call an ankle..things like that. But she was such a great student; she put me at ease.

It’s very important to do yoga with people, who are not there to judge you, criticise you or even compete with you. I once practised yoga with a person who made it a point to compete all the time. It wasn’t fun. Anupriya’s faith in me, gave me the strength to conduct my very first yoga teaching session. I was doing it. We flowed from one move to another. I helped her perfect some of the poses. I was confident enough to assist her in a Chakarasan. I could finally say, “trust me you can do this, I am here, I am holding on to you”.

Its a thrilling moment, when you transform from a student to a teacher. Metamorphosis..

The 2 hour shoot flew by. I didn’t notice the camera shuttering away. Teaching her was the focus and the goal and I think I did a decent job. But I know I can do better and remember ankle the next time 🙂